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Octavio Dotel
Octavio Eduardo Dotel (born November 25, 1973 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. He has played for a Major League record 13 different teams. Dotel graduated from Liceo Cansino Afuera High School in the Dominican Republic and was signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent in 1993. He played for their minor league affiliate in the Dominican League through 1994 and then promoted through the Mets' minor league system for the next several seasons. Dotel made his Major League debut on June 26, 1999 for the New York Mets and lost. His first MLB win came July 1, 1999 against the Florida Marlins. He ended the season as the winning pitcher in the 1999 National League Championship Series game five against the Atlanta Braves. He was voted Player Of The Week for the week of July 25, 1999. Dotel won the 2011 World Series as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. Professional career Houston Astros On December 23, 1999, Dotel was traded with Roger Cedeno and minor leaguer Kyle Kessel to the Houston Astros for Mike Hampton and Derek Bell. In 2000 Dotel amassed three wins in 16 games started as well as 16 saves as his role converted from starter to relief pitcher for the Astros, filling in as closer for an injured Billy Wagner. This season marked the first time in National League history that a pitcher had over 15 starts and 15 saves (the only other season in MLB history came in the American League in 1999, when Tim Wakefield won six games in 17 starts and attained 15 saves for the Boston Red Sox). In 2001, Dotel again began the season as a starter but moved into the bullpen as the setup man for closer Billy Wagner. Dotel had an excellent season in 2002; he led all relievers with 118 strikeouts, helping secure a well-reputed bullpen for the Astros at that time. By 2003, Dotel and Wagner were joined by future Astros closer Brad Lidge and all three partook in a historic event when six Astros pitchers combined for a no-hitter against the New York Yankees on June 11, 2003 (the most recent in Astros history). After the 2003 season, Wagner was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies and Dotel started 2004 as the closer for the Astros. Oakland Athletics On June 24, 2004, Dotel was traded to the Oakland Athletics in a three-team trade that brought slugger Carlos Beltran to the Astros, minor leaguer Mike Wood, Mark Teahen, and John Buck to the Kansas City Royals. Dotel served as closer for the Athletics and finished the 2004 season with a career-high 36 saves (22 for the A's and 14 for the Astros). Dotel began 2005 as closer for the Athletics again, but had a rough start and went on the 60-day disabled list on May 19. He underwent Tommy John surgery on June 1, ending his season after just 15 games. New York Yankees Dotel signed a one-year deal with the New York Yankees in December 2005. He missed the first four months of the 2006 season, recovering from his Tommy John surgery. Dotel had a setback after developing tendinitis in his elbow while on a rehab assignment with the Trenton Thunder. This pushed his return back into August as he went through another minor league assignment with the Columbus Clippers. Dotel pitched his first game in a Yankees uniform on August 16, coming into the game in the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles, facing two batters with one strikeout and one walk. He finished the season playing in 14 games with no record and an ERA of 10.80. Kansas City Royals Dotel became a free agent at the end of the 2006 MLB season. On December 8, 2006, he agreed to a one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals for $5 million.Baseball Cube transactions Atlanta Braves On July 31, 2007 the Royals traded Dotel to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for pitcher Kyle Davies. He made his Braves debut on August 1, throwing a scoreless ninth inning in a 12–3 rout of the Astros. On August 10, Dotel was placed on the disabled list with a right shoulder strain. He made his return on September 22 escaping a bases-loaded jam which eventually led to a Braves win. He finished the season 2–1 with a 3.76 ERA. Chicago White Sox On January 21, 2008 he agreed to a two-year, $11 million deal with the Chicago White Sox. Pittsburgh Pirates On January 21, 2010, Dotel agreed to a one-year, $3.25 million deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates, plus bonuses for games finished. The deal also included a club option for 2011 for $4.5 million with a $250,000 buyout. Dotel started the year as the Pirates closer and stayed the closer until he was traded. Dotel recorded 21 saves in 2010 with the Pirates.Kovacevic, Dejan. Pirates, Dotel agree to one-year contract plus option, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Published January 20, 2010. Retrieved January 20, 2010.Langosch, Jenifer. Dotel agrees to deal with Pirates, MLB.com. Published January 21, 2010. Retrieved January 21, 2010. Los Angeles Dodgers On July 31, 2010, Dotel was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for James McDonald and Andrew Lambo.http://www.thisisgettingold.net/2010/07/dotel-to-dodgers-for-mcdonald-and-lambo.html He appeared in 19 games with the Dodgers and had a 3.38 ERA and one save. Colorado Rockies On September 18, 2010, Dotel was traded to the Colorado Rockies for a player to be named later. Dotel was ineligible to play on the postseason roster, but it made no difference as Colorado missed the playoffs. Dotel finished playing in eight games with the Rockies, going 0–1 with a 5.06 ERA. Toronto Blue Jays Dotel agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays with a club option for 2012. He earned his 50th career victory on April 8, 2011 against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. St. Louis Cardinals On July 27, 2011, Dotel was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals with Edwin Jackson, Marc Rzepczynski and Corey Patterson for Colby Rasmus, P. J. Walters, Trever Miller and Brian Tallet. On October 31, 2011 it was announced that Cardinals would not pick up his team option for the 2012 season, making Dotel a type A free agent. Detroit Tigers Dotel signed with the Detroit Tigers on December 7, 2011. He is slated to pitch regularly in the seventh inning, in front of set-up man Joaquin Benoit and closer Jose Valverde. The Tigers will be Dotel's thirteenth major league team, passing Kenny Lofton for the MLB record. See also * List of Major League Baseball all-time saves leaders References External links (with Oswalt, Munro, Saarloos, Lidge, & Wagner)|after=Randy Johnson}} Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:2011 St. Louis Cardinals World Series Championship Team Category:New York Mets players Category:Houston Astros players Category:Oakland Athletics players Category:New York Yankees players Category:Kansas City Royals players Category:Atlanta Braves players Category:Chicago White Sox players Category:Pittsburgh Pirates players Category:Los Angeles Dodgers players Category:Colorado Rockies players Category:Toronto Blue Jays players Category:St. Louis Cardinals players Category:Detroit Tigers players Category:Dominican Republic people of African descent Category:Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:Gulf Coast Mets players Category:St. Lucie Mets players Category:Capital City Bombers players Category:Binghamton Mets players Category:Norfolk Tides players Category:Gulf Coast Yankees players Category:Staten Island Yankees players Category:Tampa Yankees players Category:Trenton Thunder players Category:Columbus Clippers players Category:Wichita Wranglers players [[Category:Re